Stepper attachment for automobiles.



No. 777,260. PATENTED DEC. 13,1904. H. M. LANDES.

STEPPER ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

- APPLIUATIOH FILED MAR. 14, 1904.

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.PATBNTED DEC. 13, 1904.

H. M. L'ANDES. v STEPPER ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Patented December 13, 1904.

HENRY M. LANDE$, OF SACRAMENTO, CALlFORNIA.

STEPPER ATTACHMENT FUR MUTOMOBILEEM SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 777,260, dated December 13, 1904. Application filed March 14;, 1904. Serial No. 198,008. (No modeld To all whom it 'm/ty concern.-

Be it known that 1.,HENRY M. LANnns, acitizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stepper Attachments for Automobiles and the Like, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in auxiliary propeller devices for motor-veh iclcs.

Its object is to provide a suitable adjunct to the ordinary engine of self-propelling vehicles to enable the vehicle to get over a 'iarticularly heavy or hilly piece of road that otherwise it would not be able to traverse.

It consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows the application of my device. Fig. 2 is a plan view of same. Fig. 8 is a side view of device. Fig. lis a side view of the rear end of the Ill-beam reach. Fig. 5 is a section of the supplementary engine. Fig. 6 is an end view and partial transverse section of Fig. 3.

A represents an ordinary motor-car provided with the usual engine 2, boiler 3, throttle a, connecting-rods 5, reverse mechanism 6, and lever 7 controlling the reverse.

My invention includes a su 'iplementary engine 8, here shown as supported beneath the I-beam reach 9, connecting the front and rear axles of the vehicle.

The engine 8 may be of any suitable wellhnown construction. Steam to operate its pis ton is admitted through pipes 10 and 11 from the pipe 12, connecting boiler 3 and engine 2. The admission of steam to engine 8 is controlled from the vehicle-seat by suitable valve mechanism, (indicated at 13.)

14 is a carriage reciprocable on ll-beam reach 9, and 15 is a stepper fulcrumed in the carriage, whereby the power of engine 8 is to be applied to assist in getting the vehicle over particularly difficult places. This stepper is in the form of a bell-crank lever, with a shorter arm 16 pivoted to the piston-rod 17 of engine 8, and the foot of the longer arm is provided with a suitable preferably convexed serrated shoe 18. The piston-rod 17 not being directly connected with carriage 14: has a limited movement independent of the carriage, though the latter is reciprocatcd simultaneously with the piston-rod, while it will be seen that the stepper has both a reciprocating and an oscillating movement, the object being that on the forward movement of the piston of engine 8 the stepper will be lifted and clear the ground; but the moment the piston reverses the shoe end of the stopper will drop, dig into the ground, and exert pressure to push the vehicle forward. Suitable means are provided to bring the stepper back always into a horizontal position and to hold it in raised position when not in use. Convenient means for accomplishing these results and for positively operating the inlet-valves of engine 8 are here shown as follows: \Vhen the carriage has traveled to or nearly to the limit of its rearward stroke, it engages a spring clip or brake 19, which exerts a suflici cut pressure that when piston-rod 17 moves forward on the return stroke the carriage will not start to travel until the piston-rod has pulled up on arm 16 and lifted the stepper clear of the ground. The carriage then has to travel with the piston-rod, while the upward movement of the stepper beyond the horizontal is limited by means of the forked guide 20 on a rigid part of the vehicle. As soon as the stepper is lifted into horizontal position it is held there by means of a dog 21, pivoted on the carriage and adapted to engage a projection 22, rigid with the stepper. This dog remains in engagement with projection 22 until the carriage has reached nearly its limit of forward travel, when it is tripped by means of a stop 2?), rigid with reach 9, allowing the stepper to fall the moment piston-rod 17 revcrses its movement.

The stepper, as before stated, is only to be used where the load is too great inon'ientarily for t] ie ord i nary engines of the vehicle and is not intended for prolonged or continuous effort. By means of the sliding carriage, the horizontal T-beam track therefor, and the means for reciprrjmating thecarriage and stepper a combined lifting and forward impulse is given at each movement of the stepper, the full force of the steam-pressure in engine8 being exerted to move the vehicle forward without any back pressure.

Engine 8 is controlled mainly by throttle 13; but in order that the stepper may always be brought back into horizontal position clear of the ground each time engine 8 is stopped I provide a small by-pass 24: between steampipe 12, leadingfrom the boiler and pipe 11.

In operation, assume throttle 13 to be open and engine 8 working, the stepper is alternately lifted and brought forward, dropped, and the carriage 14 pushed back along its track in the work of pushing the vehicle forward. If throttle 13 is closed, it may be at a moment when the stepper is on the ground; but the by-pass will still allow a small quantity of steam to pass into engine 8, moving its piston gradually across the cylinder and then reversing it, lifting the stepper and moving the carriage forward again. However, before the carriage has gone the limit of its forward movement it is necessary to cut off the steam in the by-pass else the slow reciprocation and oscillation of the stepper will continue indefinitely. This by-pass cut-off may be done automatically by the following means: A rod 25 connects an arm 26 on the stem of the by-pass valve 27 with an arm 28 on a rock-shaft 29, fulcrumed at a suitable point on reach 9 and having an arm 30 pendent in the path of a spring projection 31 on carriage 14. Valve 27 is closed each time the carriage moves forward and opened each time it goes backward. The tension of spring projection 31 is sufficient to turn arm 30; but the oscillation of the latter is limited, so that the spring will give and ride under arm 30 on each reciprocation of the carriage. Should the operator close his throttle 13 when the stepper was still on the ground, the steam behind the piston in engine 8would move carriage 14 to the end of its rearward stroke. Exhaust would then take place and engine 8 would be dead, except for the small amount of steam leaking past valve 27 in the by-pass. This by-passed l l l l steam would gradually move the carriage to the front until projection 31 engaged arm 30 and closed valve 27, whereupon the carriage would stop with the stepper in horizontal position locked by means of dog 21.

Any suitable form of automatic slide-valves may be used in the steam-chests 32 for controlling the inlet and exhaust alternately to and from the opposite ends of the cylinder of engine and these valves are connected by the usual rod 33.

Means in connection with the reciprocating carriage 1a are preferably employed to move mechanically the connecting-rod 33, and so positively control admission and exhaust, since it is considered inadvisable to depend for the movement of these valves on fluid-pressure alone. Accordingly a lever 34;, fulcrumed on I-beam 9, has one end engaging with rod 33, as shown at 35, and the other with a reciprocating bar 36, slidable in suitable guides 37 on beam 9. Bar 36 carries adjustable wedge-shaped stops 38 39 adjacent to either end of the stroke of carriage 1 1, and thelatter carries a spring member 10, adapted to engage these stops at proper intervals to reciprocate rod 33 and cause the piston in the cylinder of engine 8 to reverse. Adjacent to each of stops 38 39 is an adjustable guard 41, behind which its respective stop 38 or 39 is shoved immediately on being struck by spring 40, and so prevent premature reciprocation in the opposite direction of bar. 36. For instance, when carriage 1 1 moves forward or toward engine 8 at the proper moment spring 40 engages stop 39 to reciprocate rod 33, cut off further admission of steam to cylinder of engine 8, and allow the steam to act expansively. This movement of spring 10 has carried stop 39 behind its guard 11. The carriage 1 1 continues its forward movement until reverse takes place. On its return or backward movement spring 40, by reason of the engagement of the projection 12 with guard 41, does not hit stop 39, but rides out around it and continues on till it strikes stop 38, which it shoves beneath its guard 11, in the same way and for the same purpose as described in conjunction with stop 39 and its guard. Thus each time the carriage moves forward spring 10 engages only stop 39. Each time the carriage moves in the opposite direction it engages only stop 38, and each time either of the stops is engaged the rod 33 is reciprocated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r 1. In an automobile or the like, the combination with a main propelling motor, of a reciprocating carriage, means independent of the main motor for effecting and controlling the reciprocation of said carriage, and a stepper operatably associated with said carriage.

2. In an automobile or the like, the combi nation with the main propelling-motor thereof of an auxiliary motor and means including a stepper to apply the power of the auxiliary motor to act conjunctively with the main motor to propel the vehicle.

3. In an automobile or the like, the combination with the main motor, of an auxiliary propelling attachment including a motor, a stepper and means for applying the power of the second-named motor to operate the stepper.

4. In an automobile or the like, the combination with the main motor, of an auxiliary propelling attachment, including an engine, the piston-rod thereof, a carriage reciprocable by the movement of said piston-rod, and a stepper fulcrumed in said carriage.

5. In an automobile or the like, the combination with a main driving mechanism, of a reciprocatmg part, a trackway therefor, a

stepper fulcrumed in said part, and means including an independent power mechanism for effecting the reciprocation of said part.

6. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a main propelling mechanism, of areciproeating part, a stepper fulcrumed in said part, an independent propelling mechanism for reciprocating the latter, and means for lifting the stepper.

7. In a motor-vel1icle, the combination with a main propelling mechanism, of a reciprocating part, a stepper fulcrumed in said part, a second motor for reciprocating the latter, and means for lifting and holding the stepper clear of the ground.

8. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a main propelling mechanism, of an ind ependent engine, the piston-rod thereof, a reciproeating part, and a stepper fulcrumed in said part and connected with said piston-rod.

9. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a main propelling mechanism, of an independent engine, the piston-rod thereof, a reciproeating part, a stepper fulcrumed in'said part and connected with said piston-rod, and means for locking and holding the stepper in horizontal position.

10. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of an engine, a piston-rod, a reciprocating part,

a trackway therefor and a bell-crank lever fulcrumed in said reciprocating part, said lever having one arm prolonged as a stepper and the other arm connected with the piston-rod.

11. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a main propelling mechanism and a rigid connection between the front and rear axles of the vehicle, of an independent engine, a piston-rod, a part slidable on said rigid connec tion and a stepper fulcrumed in the said slidable part and connected with the piston-rod.

12. In a motor-vehicle, the combination with a main propelling mechanism, of an independent engine, a piston-rod, a sliding carriage, a support for said sliding carriage, a stepper fulcrumed in said carriage and connected With the piston-rod and arranged to be lifted into horizontal position on alternate reciprocations of the piston-rod, and means including a dog on the sliding carriage to hold the stepper in horizontal position, and means for releasing the dog.

13. In a motorvehicle,the combination with amain propelling mechanism, of an independent engine, a piston-rod, a sliding carriage, a support for said carriage a stepper fnlcrun'ied in the latter and connected with the pistonrod and arranged to be lifted into horizontal position on alternate reciprocations of the piston-rod, latch means on the carriage to engage and hold. the stepper when in horizontal position and stop means in the path of said. latch to release it and allow the stepper to fall.

14. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of an engine, a piston-rod, a sliding carriage, a stepper fulcrumed in the latter and connected with the piston-rod and arranged to be lifted clear of the ground on alternate reciproeav tions of the carriage, and a brake 19 or equivalent in the path of the carriage to limit its return movement in one direction.

15. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of an engine a rod 33 connecting the inlet-valves at either end of the cylinder of said engine, a piston-rod, a sliding carriage connected with said piston-rod, a stepper supported by said carriage and means operatable by the sliding carriage for effecting the reciprocation of said connecting-rod coordinately with the movements of said carriage.

16. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of an engine a boiler, connections between the boiler and engine, a piston-rod, a sliding car: riage connected with said rod, a stepper supported in said carriage, a control-valve in the connections between the boiler and engine, a by-pass as 24, a valve in said b v-pass and means connecting with the sliding carriage for automatically operating said by-pass valve.

17. In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a reciprocating carriage, means for effecting said reciprocation, a stepper fulcrumed in said. carriage, and means for causing the stepper always to be automatically lifted to be held in lifted position when at rest.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

HENRY M. LANDES.

Witnesses: V

S. H. NOURSE, CiiAs. E. TOWNSEND. 

